justice

This weekend I read The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater.

From the book jacket:

One teenager in a skirt. 
One teenager with a lighter.
One moment that changes both of their lives forever.


In November of 2013 in Oakland, California, an agender teenager, Sasha, was riding the 57 bus and was set on fire. In an instant – with the flame from a lighter and a reckless lapse in judgement – the lives of two teenagers were changed forever. 

Richard is a black teen who attends public school and lives with his mother, Jasmine, in a crime-riddled neighborhood. In one tragic, reckless, thoughtless moment Richard holds a lighter to Sasha's skirt. The skirt erupts in flames and Sasha is severely burned. Richard is charged with two hate crimes and at 16 faces being tried as an adult.

The 57 Bus is the true story of two teenagers and the crime that changed their lives. The book explores the ideas of gender identity, class, race, and the juvenile justice system.

The story is empathetic and takes a compassionate look at both teens and their families. The 57 Bus is an amazing work of contemporary non-fiction that belongs in the hands of all teens. Read this book with the young people you know. 

Check out the discussion questions for the book from Macmillan Publishing. Readers are guaranteed to learn more about themselves and the society we live in.